1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to data and control networks associated with a smart grid for electrical power distribution. More particularly, it relates to a system for intercepting, decoding, and analyzing field area network (FAN) communications used by smart meters and distribution automation equipment to independently provide intrusion detection and network monitoring for a FAN.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional systems for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity are well known. A power plant, or other source, generates electricity. The voltage is stepped up for distribution over high voltage transmission lines. The transmission lines are connected to substations, which step the voltage down to some intermediate voltage level. The power at this intermediate voltage level is distributed and further stepped down to a voltage that is delivered to homes and businesses.
Smart Grid is the modernization of the national electrical system to improve efficiency, integrate renewable generation sources, promote conservation, and better measure and manage the generation, transmission, distribution, consumption and potentially the storage of electricity. Much of the new technology in Smart Grid is focused on the electrical distribution network.
Key enablers for Smart Grid technology are intelligent embedded systems and communications in FANs. Intelligent embedded systems are small computer systems incorporated into power components that add sensor, control and monitoring capabilities. FANs enable communications among embedded system controllers and backend applications for measurements and control of Smart Grid components in the operation of the electrical system.
The Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is considered to be the leading edge of Smart Grid. AMI was the first large scale deployment of Smart Grid technology and involves deploying Smart Meters at every home and Communication Access Nodes or Access Points to support wireless communications among Smart Meters and backend applications. A Smart Meters is essentially a solid state computing and metering device with a network interface card. Smart Meter energy applications include remote meter reading, remote disconnect/connect, outage management, demand response, such as time of use pricing and direct load control, and customer engagement through home area networks (HANs).
Additionally, Smart Grid adds intelligent controls and sensors to distribution transformers, distribution feeders, and distribution substations to monitor asset state and condition, energy flow and to remotely control active components, such as switches, circuit reclosers, and capacitor banks. This portion of Smart Grid is known as Distribution Automation (DA).
Wireless networking technology is a popular means to support Smart Grid FAN communications due to the distributed nature of Smart Meters and DA electrical assets. Because Smart Meters and DA electrical assets coexist in the same physical territory, they may use the same or similar wireless networking technology for FAN communications.
There are a number of challenges present in managing and securing wireless FANs, such as those used in AMI and DA networks. First, FANs are wide area, multi-vendor, heterogeneous networks that combine a variety of wireless and wired technologies. Second, FANs constitute the largest network a utility will deploy and own. An AMI FAN can contain millions of Smart Meters that need to be managed over low bandwidth channels. Third, FANs operate in an unprotected environment. Intelligent endpoints cannot be physically protected very easily and they are often vulnerable to physical and cyber-attacks. Fourth, significant amounts of AMI and DA wireless technology are proprietary radio systems, which transport a mix of proprietary and standards-based networking protocols, some of which have yet to be adequately vetted from a security perspective. Fifth, because field equipment hardware updates and replacements are prohibitively expensive and since software updates cannot remedy all security vulnerabilities, utilities that operate FANs will ultimately have to manage multiple vintages of hardware, each with a different vulnerability profile. Some security vulnerabilities are inherent in the hardware and wireless communication. They cannot be eliminated and means to detect their potential exploitation are needed as part of comprehensive security program. Sixth, many of the new FANs, particularly for AMI, are adhoc, self-forming networks that are more dynamic than traditional IP networks and less understood on a large scale, such as in a Smart Meter deployment. In addition, FAN wireless technology is still quite immature and improvements are constantly being made to communications security, network performance, and routing, for instance.
Given all these challenges, there is a great need for network management and security tools akin to those commonly employed in IP enterprise networks to provide visibility, situational awareness and security monitoring. However, at present, no commercial solutions are available to monitor wireless FAN traffic and detect security anomalies/intrusion, network performance issues or even software bugs. Furthermore, there are no independent monitoring capabilities to help mitigate supply chain cyber risks in FAN components. All information about FANs is currently sourced through the application management tools provided by the Smart Grid component vendor, which would be unreliable if the vendor's supply chain was compromised.
Much of Smart Grid technology is still in its infancy. AMI, DA and FAN system providers are presently consumed by getting their claimed functionality to work. Little to no attention has been given to implementing network monitoring and intrusion detection systems. In addition, because many FANs use proprietary radio systems and protocols, none of the solutions commonly used for IP networks will work. Furthermore, whereas the industry understands the vulnerabilities in IP networks from years of experience, it is still in the discovery period with respect to the vulnerabilities in wide-area FANs.
Smart Grid FAN technology is new and no information is publically available on prior solutions. An analogy can be made, to a limited extent with network monitoring and intrusion detection in Wi-Fi networks. However, known commercial solutions intrusion detection in Wi-Fi networks do not operate via over-the-air captures. The geographic footprint of Wi-Fi networks is small in comparison to a Smart Meter network and Wi-Fi is built on a open, public standard.